A fire broke out at the Zanzibar Tavern in Toronto over the weekend, causing significant damage to the adult entertainment club on Yonge Street. A local resident, Cyrus Bakhtiyari, captured the blaze on video from his balcony while filming a time-lapse of a nearby condo construction on 8 Elm Street. The footage shows the fire escalating rapidly from a small roof blaze to a massive inferno, emitting thick black smoke into the sky.
Bakhtiyari expressed astonishment at how quickly the fire consumed the entire building, noting that his camera documented the entire event. Toronto Fire Services responded to the incident around 6 a.m. on Sunday and managed to confine most of the damage to the roof, although the top floor sustained heavy destruction. Fortunately, no injuries were reported as the building was unoccupied at the time of the fire.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation, with authorities assessing the extent of the damage. Nadia Sule, operations co-ordinator at Heritage Toronto, highlighted the historical significance of the building as a remnant of old Yonge Street. The structure, dating back to 1895, has transformed over the years from an undertaker’s business to a restaurant, eventually becoming a renowned live entertainment venue and later a strip club.
Despite the fire’s impact, the vintage neon signs adorning the exterior, including the iconic Club Zanzibar sign, remained visible amidst the boarded-up doors and windows. Sule emphasized the building’s role in preserving the cultural heritage of Yonge Street, reflecting its evolution as an entertainment hub in the city. The property owners are hopeful that the establishment will be restored and reopened following necessary repairs.